Coker: Silva will need medical clearance before he fights again

Bellator CEO Scott Coker takes action following Wanderlei Silva’s admission of experiencing concussion-related issues.

Mixed martial arts veteran Wanderlei Silva recently admitted having concussion-related symptoms. “The Axe Murderer” came to realize it all during a lecture he attended where he checked out eight out of ten of the symptoms, which included sleeping troubles, forgetfulness, and mood swings.

The 42-year-old Silva has been signed with Bellator since 2017, and as mandated by company CEO Scott Coker, the former PRIDE champion will need to get himself medically cleared before he steps into the cage again.

“Our objective is fighter safety first,” Coker told MMAFighting.com’s Danny Segura during the Bellator 215 and 216 media day. “And we’re not gonna put him in a situation where he’s – if he’s injured or he has concussion issues, we’re not gonna put him in the cage again. This doesn’t make sense, that’s not how we operate.

“If Wanderlei does want to come back, he’s got to get a complete clearance from the Cleveland Clinic – we sent him there to do some tests – and make sure he’s alright.

“I’m a fan of Wanderlei Silva,” he continued. “He’s already done everything that he needs to do, what else can he do? He’s a legend. So to me, he doesn’t need to fight anymore to keep his legacy going.

“He fights because he wants to fight, but if he has serious issues, he should take care of that because that’s forever and that something we can’t support.”

A veteran of 51 total fights, Silva (35-14, with 28 wins by stoppage) is currently on a two-fight skid. He last saw action at Bellator 206 in September, where he was knocked out by Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in the second round of their heavyweight matchup.